


A Very Brief Encounter

by QueerAndFeared



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts, I haven't actually seen the movies or read the books I just know A LOT about harry potter, Oneshot, Other, Seizure, harry finally yells at Snape, harry just wanted some peace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:29:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23427010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueerAndFeared/pseuds/QueerAndFeared
Summary: Harry just wanted some goddamn quiet.Guess he finally got it, at the end. Even if it came with a little bit of brain damage.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter & Severus Snape, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning! Just a little bit of violence n a little bit of blood.
> 
> I'm also v new to this, I'm normally on Wattpad (I got a Jamilton book there if y'all are into that) so bls excuse me.

> * * *

"How long have you had those blasted shoes, Potter? Did you take it from Dumbledore's crib?"

"Fuck off, Malfoy."

"Wow," Draco Malfoy scoffed, crossing his arms and leaning against a crumbling stone pillar. "Went quite quick to the cursing, didn't you?"

"I'm not in the mood." Harry kept his head and back against the wall, knees bent in front of him, arms perched and dangling on the caps. The courtyard was empty for the time being, for he had snuck out right when dinner started. He thought he went unnoticed, he even used his invisibility cloak, but it was apparently futile. He just wanted some _quiet._

"Since when are you ever?" Malfoy rolled his eyes, glancing around at the open space. "Why are you out here, Potter? Especially without your 'friends', the runt and the Mudblood."

"Don't call them that. Especially Hermione." Harry's eyes snapped open, previously closed, to glare at the blond in front of him. He didn't expect him to be so close, needing to tilt his chin up. "And it's none of your bloody business. Bugger off and leave me alone, Malfoy."

Malfoy huffed a sound that sounded caught between a scoff and a laugh. "Right. Gryffindors, always the protective ones." Looking away, he cleared his throat before summoning a new stance, projecting more confidence then he obviously felt. "I'm asking you once more, Potter. Why are you out here? You know Dumbledore will have a hissy fit, what with his prized prodigy being out here all alone, especially with the recent attacks." 

"Then I guess you won't tell him." Harry snarked, eyes blazing and scar faintly tingling.

Malfoy held his gaze defiantly despite getting lightheaded. "I just might. Perhaps I'll get Professor Snape. He just might put some sense into you."

"He'll put some sense into you, too. You're not suppose to be out here either."

"You're right. However, I was put into Slythern for a reason." Malfoy suddenly surged forward, fingers grasping at what seemed like thin air before he jumped back, Harry's invisibility cloak in hand. "I knew it! I can bring Snape this, and tell him I saw you put it on before leaving. It absolutely reaks of you."

Harry had immediately jumped to his feet, practically clawing at him. "Give that back!"

Malfoy laughed, practically dancing out of his reach, a smug look carved onto his face. "I can't believe the rumors were true. Tell me, did you shag someone for it in our first year? I promise I won't tell." His grin decided otherwise.

"Give. It. Back." Harry snarled.

Pulling out his wand seemingly from thin air, he held it out to the cloak, a bright green flame sprouting from the tip as he muttered _'Incendio'._ "Or what?"

Harry produced his own wand in response, pointing it at Draco and declaring, _"Expelliarmus!"_

The flame-tipped wand flew out of Malfoy's hand before he could react. He stared at his hand in disbelief before cracking a wide grin, not even turning for his wand. "I keep forgetting that's your favorite spell. How childish."

Malfoy seemed to miss the clench in Harry's jaw for he was suddenly knocked backwards with a _'Flipendo!',_ dropping the cloak who-knows-where. It was a miracle he had even grabbed it on the first try. He skidded to a stop on his back, not at all harmed despite the fury Harry was currently radiating. He could practically taste it.

Harry surged forward before Draco could catch his breath, finding the fabric immediately and pulling it to his chest, fingers disappearing briefly as he glared with such hate in his eyes that he felt himself unconsciously shrink back.

"Potter!" A new voice yelled, and both boys turned towards the sound. It was Professor Snape, with a small crowd forming behind him.

"What is the meaning of this?" Despite his calm tone his body was tense, wand in hand. His eyes landed on Harry's wand, still in his own hand, and then finally to Draco, who was defenseless.

"Malfoy started this." Harry grit out, clutching at what seemed to be just air to the other students. The crowd was growing bigger, and Draco can see Harry's friends pushing through the crowd, along with another professor he couldn't quite see.

"Oh? Did he now?" Snape turned to Malfoy. "I'm going to ignore for now the fact that you two are out here alone, despite the danger. Mr Malfoy." The boy's head in question snapped up. "Did you 'start' this, what, duel?"

"No, sir. I was only defending myself." He kept his face perfectly neutral, the picture of innocence. He'll keep the cloak a secret for now. 

At 'No', Snape had already turned back to Potter. "You have been nothing but trouble, boy. You know that there are to be no duels on school grounds. I will discuss your expulsion with the Headmaster. I hope to finally rid you of this school. You never belonged here." Snape sneered, turning his nose up. "200 points from Gryffindor." The students dressed in red behind him gave various noises of shock. 

Snape turned to leave, fully prepared to act on his promise, before a cold voice stopped him.

"No."

He turned. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, sorry. No, _sir_." Harry laughed quietly, sounding unlike himself. A brutal air practically seeped from him, spreading in waves. Malfoy reached for his wand, alert, while the gathering crowd could only stare in shock at the boy who lived. Harry had put his wand down, to make sure he didn't accidentally cause any actual harm.

"You cannot just say 'No' to me, Potter." Snape growled at the teen, taking a step forward. "50 points from Gryffindor."

_"Well I said no!"_ Harry suddenly snarled, bracing himself. "You have no idea what happened, all you ever do is take Slytherin's side! You don't know what he threatened!" He pointed to Malfoy, who was in shock at the Gryffindor's behavior. "I don't care if you take points for me being out here alone, I don't care if you take points for me acting like this, do you hear me? _I don't care!"_ He practically screamed. Even Snape seemed at a loss, even if for a moment.

"What you will _not_ do," Harry continued before Snape could respond, clenching his fists. Ron could tell he was drawing blood with how hard he tried to control himself. "is be an absolute prick to _my house_ for no reason! You weren't here. You didn't see what happened. You never do."

"I don't care." Snape sniped back.

"That's because you're a bloody asshole!" Harry countered, stepping forward. "This place was support to be a safe place! Hogwarts was suppose to be fun, learning was suppose to be fun! But no, you had to be here. Do you know how many times I've seen students cry because of you? How many of them hate themselves because of you? You fucking made Neville almost kill his toad because you thought his potion was made incorrectly, and that would have been lethal to him! Neville's bloody boggart should have been Voldemort or some prick who had a hand in torturing his parents to insanity but _no_ , it was _you_! You took 35 points away from Hufflepuff because a Slytherin told you a rumour, and despite learning it not to be true, you didn't fucking do anything, not even apologize! You've set _fire_ to a first-year Ravenclaw's books for being twenty seconds late, then took 50 points from Ravenclaw because she still didn't have her books the next class despite them costing so much money she couldn't have paid for it in time! I saw you trip a third-year Slythern down those moving stairs, even! He was in the infirmary for four days, and had to wear a cast for _three weeks_ despite the best potions helping! You did that to him! You're an evil bloody prick who's bullied and tormented countless of us!"

"You have no such proof." 

"And _you_ have no proof that I wasn't protecting myself here!" Harry screamed. "We weren't dueling! Malfoy followed me out here to only piss me off! I told him to leave, and he didn't, so what good was I suppose to do?"

"You've dealt with it all before, a simple talk shouldn't have bothered."

"He threatened," Harry's scar burned, and he waved his arm to add emphasis. "My _SHIT._ I merely blew away his bloody wand so he wouldn't have the chance! And you want to take 200 fucking points away from my house? You want to fucking _expell_ me?"

"Yes." Snape snapped. "You are clearly a danger to those around you. You should be ashamed of yourself, Potter."

Draco suddenly noticed Harry's hands were shaking, blood leaking slowly through the clenched digits. His entire body was trembling more than it usually did. His eyes were shimmering, and he realized he was close to tears. He shouldn't have followed him here.

_"You,"_ Harry's voice cracked, yet he trudged on. "should be ashamed of yourself. How long have you been upset over my mother rejecting you, huh? How much do you hate me for having her eyes? How much do you hate my father for apparently 'taking' her away?" A tear slipped. "She didn't ever love you, you emotionless, manipulative, abusive asshole!" Harry had stepped closer with each sentence until he was right in front of him, having to cock his gaze upwards. "All you did when you were my age was still fuck up people's lives! You are _nothing_ but a bully, still somehow clinging on into adulthood. You should have _never_ become a teacher. My mother was right to choose my father-"

Malfoy saw it before any of the others did. Snape had kept his wand hidden from the crowd, and Harry had been too busy yelling. A bright purple and red light sprouted from the tip of his wand as he shoved it practically into Harry's stomach, snarling out what sounded like _'Flipendo'_ as he did.

Several students in various houses screamed as Harry flew back with far too much force, his back slamming into the stone wall Draco had met him at just ten minutes before. His head made a deafening _crack_ as his skull took most of the impact. His body actually stayed there for a full second before sliding down like they did in the cartoons Hermione sometimes watches. His finger twitched, and nothing more.

It was deathly silent for a long moment as everyone watched, stunned, as blood started to pool around the golden boy's head, interrupted by Snape's harsh breathing. Malfoy felt like he was the one who hit the wall, eyes wide at the growing puddle. It was Ron who broke the spell first.

_"Harry!"_ The boy screamed, tears already running down his face as he sprinted and dropped to his knees at his best friend's body, sliding to a stop. Hermione joined him next, face unusually pale despite the determined look in her eye.

"Somebody call for Madam Pomfrey!" She screamed, voice cracking as her hands made quick movements to rip the edges of her own robe, putting light pressure on the back of the boy's head with the fabric. Noone moved.

Ron noticed first and searched for a familiar face. "Neville!" The boy was trembling. "Please get Madam Pomfrey!" The boy nodded and ran off, first turning the wrong way before sprinting in the right direction.

Snape seemed to just be staring at the trio before muttering something under his breath, turning to push through the crowd. He knocked over a few kids, uncaring as they all stared at Harry, the boy who was suppose to live. Draco saw Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore go after him, the former looking fearful yet angry. He briefly wondered why they didn't interfere.

_He needed to do something._

Draco shakily got to his feet and walked towards the trio before tripping on something. He looked at his feet, noticing nothing, before remembering the cloak. He grabbed it and carefully walked over to Ron.

The redhead didn't notice him at first, too busy staring at the blood on his hands. When he did, he glared with such fire at Malfoy that his knees went weak. He knelt down, a few feet away, attempting to hide his trembling. He held out his hands, tightly gripping the cloak.

Ron didn't get it at first. He tilted his head in such a way that Malfoy would've made fun of him for acting like a dog, but as his own fingers disappeared into thin air, he realized. He practically snatched it away from Draco's hands, who flinched in response. Weasley stared at him for a long moment, the latter unable to maintain his gaze, before nodding curtly, carefully placing the cloak behind him before turning his attention back to Harry. 

Someone suddenly decked Malfoy to the side, causing him to skid across the ground once again, skinning his elbow. He barely felt the pain as he watched Madam Pomfrey inspect Harry before she deemed him good enough to carry. Right as she pulled out her wand to levitate him, his body tensed, straightened, and started to shake.

"Hermione?!" Ron shrieked. "What's he doing! Why is he doing that!"

"How should I suppose to know!" She yelled back, the stress starting to get to her as tears slipped down her face. She was all too aware of the crowd still here, who have only ended up closer to watch and cry themselves.

"What the bloody hell is Potter doing?" Draco felt himself say, despite not meaning to say anything at all.

"He's having a seizure." Madam Pomfrey snapped at no none in particular, cursing softly under her breath. "Quick, turn him onto his side. Keep his mouth open so he doesn't bite off his tongue." As she spoke, his body continued to convulse before finally coming to an end, twitching uncontrollably.

Madam Pomfrey waisted no time in grabbing her wand and yelling to the crowd of students, who have only gotten closer. "Clear the way, before he has another seizure!" When they didn't, only staring in shock, she snapped. " _Bloody fucking MOVE!"_

Draco scrambled up and started pushing students aside to clear a path as they were all too slow for his liking, knocking over a Weasley and some first-year Hufflepuff in the process. He muttered weak apologies despite knowing he would have never done that before, staring up at the light encasing Harry's body as he was quickly and carefully levitated down the hallway. A moment later, and he heard a door slamming shut, echoing into the once again silent courtyard.

Draco recognized most of the students gathered. He spotted Pansy Parkinson shoving students out of the way to get to him, a weird look on her normally gloating face. 

He immediately turned the opposite direction, somehow spotting the invisibility cloak Ron had forgotten to take with him and grabbing it, and ran.

_He was always a coward._


	2. An Unexpected, but Delighted, Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco has felt enough guilt in his life.

He didn't want to do this.

  
It was bad enough with the constant glaring from the Mudblood- from _Hermione_ , he scolded himself- and the worried looks the Weasley gave him. He wondered for two days why the red-head was giving him those looks, but it had gave him such a headache he thought it best to just leave it be.

  
Perhaps it was the faint magical scar over the ridge of his nose he had gotten from Snape's outburst, when it was so powerful that even as the full blow had gotten Potter, little streaks of it had gone everywhere else. He was too close to move away, and he had payed for it. 

  
It was also an awful reminder that he had inadvertently gotten Potter sent to the infirmary. He had caused those awful seizures. He deserved the glares from the students of Gryffindor - it's not like he hadn't gotten them before - but it was _worse_ , somehow.

  
He wasn't sure why.

  
So, even as days had passed with no word of Harry's condition, no word from his house of what might have happened to Snape other than absurd rumors - _'Oh, haven't you heard? Dumbledore instantly turned Snape into a rat and had Potter's owl eat him. Blasted, right?' - n_ o word from Madam Pomfrey herself who didn't let anyone in to visit, Draco finally decided.

  
He was going to sneak into the Infirmary under the disguise of the Invisibility Cloak and see the golden boy for himself.

* * *

  
This was definitely not his brightest idea.

  
Draco was sweating despite wearing only a black muggle shirt he had gotten from Pansy as a gift - it had this _ridiculous_ v-line, why did it reach so low? - and his normal thin cotton pants, which he charmed to be black. It was almost eleven at night and _I swear to Merlin if I have to loop around to avoid the Prefect one more time-_

  
Of course, he had the Invisibility Cloak wrapped tightly around himself, but he was much taller than Potter and he was afraid he'd give himself away before he had even reached the door. It was locked, much to his annoyance.

  
_"Alohomora."_ Draco muttered as quietly as he can, wishing it was enough, for he had forgotten his wand in his rush to see Potter. To his delighted glee, it opened. He'll have to brag to Granger at another time.

  
He checked around to make sure no Prefects were in sight before quickly rushing in, almost knocking over some potions in the process before quietly shutting the door.

  
"Ron? Hermione?" Came a mumbled whisper to his left, and Draco nearly busted his thumb on the shelf behind him as he whipped around to see the boy he came to visit sitting up in the cheap bed the Infirmary has, rubbing at his eye with a clenched fist.

  
"Um. No." Was all he could come up with, intelligent as always.

  
Potter squinted into the darkness before Draco heard the faint whisper of _'Lumos'_ as the area between them lit up faintly. "Malfoy? What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"

  
In his surprise at seeing him, Draco had dropped the cloak. He immediately knelt down and twanged his elbow on the same shelf, hissing when it was the same one he had scraped that unfortunate day. He heard Potter laugh as he clutched the Invisibility Cloak between his fingers and briefly pondered if he should even give it back.

  
"I don't actually know." He admitted instead, surprised at his honest response. He tentatively stepped forward, lifting his hand to show Potter his vanished arm. "I, uh, thought you might want this back."

  
Potter squinted at him, and Draco suddenly had the urge to die.

  
"That's..." The other boy frowned. "awfully kind of you, Malfoy." He froze. "Wait. What did you do to my cloak? Are you even Malfoy?" His knuckles turned white as he gripped the thin sheets.

  
"What?" Draco didn't even think the possibilities through of what Potter might think of him. _"Yes,_ I'm Malfoy. _No_ , I didn't do anything to your cloak. I just-" He ran a hand through his hair tiredly, briefly angered for no reason. "I'm not a complete asshole, Potter. I gave this to Weasley but he had forgotten it back in the Courtyard. You're lucky I saw it before it was left."

  
Potter winced, hands going lax. "Okay, yeah." He tilted his head as Draco stood there. "Can...can you give it to me? I can't exactly move at the moment."

  
"What?" His entire body flushed, and Draco was glad it was so dark. "Oh! Yeah. Yeah, yeah, 'course." He held it out for the other boy as he stepped closer, close enough to see the still-fading bruises that shimmered in the low light. Their fingers brushed as the cloak was exchanged, and Draco snatched his hand back so quickly it was as if he was burned.

  
Potter didn't comment on it, thankfully. He studied the material before speaking in a low voice. "Why are you really here, Malfoy?"

  
Before he could even respond, Potter cut him off. "And don't bullshit me. You could have easily gave this to Ron or Hermione, or kept it until I got out, or even just kept it to yourself. So, why?"

  
His mouth felt dry, and he struggled to come up with a response. Why did he sneak in to personally give it to him? He struggled further until he realized the emotion deep within him: guilt.

  
"I...felt bad?" Draco winced.

  
"Didn't realize you had feelings." Potter quipped, before lowering his head slightly in shame, the faint red of his cheeks giving him away. "Sorry. Don't know why I said that."

  
"It's okay." It wasn't.

  
It was silent for both of them for a few minutes, and Draco used this to his advantage. He crept closer when Potter closed his eyes, breathing softly.

  
"Potter." His eyes opened. "It...wasn't fair of me." He didn't specify on what, but the other boy knew. Of course he knew. "I'm...I apologize."

  
The other boy didn't respond for a long moment, felt like hours to Draco, but when he let out the softest sigh he's ever heard, Draco let out a shaky breath he didn't realize he was holding.

  
"Thank you," Potter said earnestly, fingering the fabric in his hands gently. "I...I wouldn't have known what to do with myself if I lost this. So...thank you, Draco."

  
He already wasn't used to many apologies, especially from someone he called his enemy, but combined with his first name he knew it was a big deal coming from Potter.

  
Which was why he was also blushing very madly, the pink reaching up to his ears and spreading along his exposed chest and _Merlin I am going to fucking BURN this shirt when I get back_ and Draco coughed, attempting to redeem himself. "Your- you're welcome, Potter. Harry. Fuck."

  
Potter- _Harry_ laughed, his tired eyes shining. No one had come to visit him since the incident, and he was very grateful for the other boy's presence. "Calm down, Malfoy. Don't give yourself a stroke."

  
Draco bristled, but only from his slightly bruised ego. "Oh, bugger off, Potter."

  
The boys smiled at each other, and it was peaceful.

  
Draco then decided that he could always sleep during Charms, pulling a chair to Harry's bedside and sitting down. The two talked the rest of the night and well into the morning, and Draco's heart felt a little less heavy.

  
And, well, when Madam Pomfrey found Draco Malfoy's head using Harry Potter's legs as a pillow and the Invisibility Cloak as a blanket, she didn't tell anyone.

  
She didn't mind. Just unexpected, is all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi I had a lot of ideas for this chapter n I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this but!!! here you go have fun
> 
> also I did not plan on posting the first chapter on April 1st n this chapter on April 20th but here we are 
> 
> hope you enjoyed :)


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